Dell Precision T3400 (Late 2007) - Manual (Page 131)

Reinstalling Software
131
Reinstalling Software
Drivers
What Is a Driver?
A driver is a program that controls a device such as a printer, mouse, or
keyboard. All devices require a driver program.
A driver acts as a translator between the device and any programs that use the
device. Each device has a set of specialized commands that only the driver for
that device recognizes.
Required drivers are already installed on your computer—no further
installation or configuration is needed.
NOTICE:
The Drivers and Utilities disc may contain drivers for operating systems
that are not on your computer. Ensure that you are installing software appropriate
for your operating system.
Many drivers, such as the keyboard driver, come with your Microsoft
®
Windows
®
operating system. You may need to install drivers if you:
• Upgrade your operating system.
• Reinstall your operating system.
• Connect or install a new device.
Identifying Drivers
If you experience a problem with any device, identify whether the driver is the
source of your problem and, if necessary, update the driver.
Microsoft Windows XP
1 Click Start, then click Control Panel.
2 Under Pick a Category, click Performance and Maintenance.